What is the message?

The texts from Roman Catholic Lectionary today illustrate that the richness of the revelation includes understanding the authorship and audience for the writing. The psalmist sets the stage for our exploration by establishing the Transcendent as the power over Creation. Friar Jude Winkler shares some of the scholarship surrounding the Book of Sirach which was a presentation of the Jewish philosophy in response to Greek philosophy which was popular at the time. The accomplishments of the heroes of Jewish tradition are presented. The return of Elijah, who apparently did not experience a human death, will bring the faithful of God, the special understanding of the ways of heaven. The text from the Gospel of Matthew is the Lord's Prayer which is an instruction of Jesus about how to pray at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. It is more developed than the version of the Lord's Prayer found in Luke 11: 2-4. Friar Jude offers that Matthew's version was probably used in this form as a prayer in Matthew's community. The version in Luke is probably closer to the words of Jesus. The literal text is not the issue. The instruction on prayer, which is meant to be simple intimate listening as our indwelling Spirit is resonant with the Spirit of God, emphasizes God as Father, to Whose will we surrender and seek the necessities for our existence which always includes forgiveness and the openness to forgive others. In this state of prayer, our lives are enriched and the delight of the Transcendent in Child-Creature is affirmed. This is the message.